Strategist, entrepreneur and commentator Craig Coogan examines issues with his unique perspective. NOTE: The views expressed in this blog are of the author (Craig Coogan) alone. They do not represent any organization, client, or business that he may be associated with. You are welcome to comment below. Thank you for reading!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Ship Shape

I’ve recently enjoyed some time on Holland America’s
Eurodam.Being at sea is how I relax,
and I’m really lucky that (so far) I’ve been on 16 cruises, spending nearly 5
months of my life off of dry land.The
merits of cruising aren’t the ship to focus on this week.Instead we have to look at the lack of
statesmanship of our political leaders as they play brinksmanship
once again with the economy.

Surface tension is required to keep ships afloat – the
phenomenon where water pushes back on the boat with a force equal to the weight
of the water that is displaced.Similarly in politics a tension must exist between the force of two
extremes --- in this case having the government continue to spend like a
drunken sailor versus the other side that wants to dry dock the
government.Compromise … or accommodation
even … is essentially that surface tension.

I like to be right.We all do.More importantly than being
right, I want results.I won’t stand
rigid just to prove that I’m right.I’ll
cajole, arm-twist (write blogs) and do a variety of other things to bring
people around to my way of thinking – and then I’ll look at the situation and
decide whether standing on principal is more important than getting something
done.

Washington DC has 435 members of the House, 100 members of
the Senate, a President and Vice President – along with some 17,000 lobbyists.Coming to a balance between
all of these competing interests has proven to be nearly impossible.

Each elected leader from President to Congressman to Senator
has promised to be a person of action – when in fact they must work together to
accomplish anything.In our democracy nobody
can rule by fiat.

Imagine you’re hiring legislators.The job description that would be put
together would say “must work well with others” and “ability to find common
ground” as requirements.Yet Americans
continue to place people in the job who insist on adhering to their own beliefs
first.

I’m as fiscally conservative as they come.This ‘sequestration’ nonsense is just 2.5% of
the budget, pennies.Granted it’s not
being implemented in a smart way – but that’s all politics.The nation must only spend what it brings in,
and if that happened there’d still be this $17 trillion deficit that would have
to be paid off.While more cuts are
needed – and more revenue too – for now a fair tension would be some small cut
in expenses 1% or 2%.

Unless something gives even at a miniscule percentage – the
call you hear from the bridge will be to the lifeboat station.